Death and Taxes... Mostly Taxes by AmeizingGuy

Format: Commander

Creator: AmeizingGuy

Commander: Niv-Mizzet, Ghost Counsel

Bracket: 3

DeckCheck Threat Index: 45

Deck overview

This Orzhov deck is a dedicated lifegain and life-drain strategy built around Niv-Mizzet, Ghost Counsel. While Niv-Mizzet provides a potent card advantage engine by trading life gain for raw cards and acting as a ping enabler in the command zone, the deck's primary route to victory is executing an infinite drain loop. By pairing Exquisite Blood or Bloodthirsty Conqueror with any damage-on-lifegain effect—such as Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose, Sanguine Bond, Enduring Tenacity, or Marauding Blight-Priest—the deck creates a self-sustaining loop that drains all opponents from 40 to 0 the moment life totals change. A deep suite of low-cost white and black spot removal, passive tax pieces, and creature-based soul-sister effects keep the pilot alive, manage opposing threats, and smoothly bridge into the midgame combo turn.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Aetherflux Reservoir
  • 1 Alhammarret's Archive
  • 1 Anguished Unmaking
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Archaeomancer's Map
  • 1 Archangel of Thune
  • 1 Authority of the Consuls
  • 1 Bilbo's Gambit
  • 1 Black Market Connections
  • 1 Bleachbone Verge
  • 1 Blind Obedience
  • 1 Blood Artist
  • 1 Bloodthirsty Conqueror
  • 1 Boggart Trawler // Boggart Bog
  • 1 Bojuka Bog
  • 1 Caves of Koilos
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Concealed Courtyard
  • 1 Creeping Bloodsucker
  • 1 Dark Ritual
  • 1 Dauthi Voidwalker
  • 1 Desolate Mire
  • 1 Dismember
  • 1 Drana and Linvala
  • 1 Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim
  • 1 Emeritus of Woe // Demonic Tutor
  • 1 Enduring Tenacity
  • 1 Enlightened Confidant
  • 1 Enlightened Tutor
  • 1 Exquisite Blood
  • 1 Exsanguinate
  • 1 Fell the Profane // Fell Mire
  • 1 Fetid Heath
  • 1 Flare of Fortitude
  • 1 Flawless Maneuver
  • 1 Galadriel's Dismissal
  • 1 Generous Gift
  • 1 Godless Shrine
  • 1 Grand Abolisher
  • 1 Grave Researcher // Reanimate
  • 1 Guide of Souls
  • 1 Haliya, Guided by Light
  • 1 Insatiable Avarice
  • 1 Isolated Chapel
  • 1 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
  • 1 Kaya's Guile
  • 1 Land Tax
  • 1 Liesa, Forgotten Archangel
  • 1 Liliana the Faultless
  • 1 Marauding Blight-Priest
  • 1 Marsh Flats
  • 1 Minas Tirith
  • 1 Monumental Henge
  • 1 Mother of Runes
  • 1 Niv-Mizzet, Ghost Counsel
  • 1 Path to Exile
  • 8 Plains
  • 1 Reliquary Tower
  • 1 Reprieve
  • 1 Restoration Magic
  • 1 Sanguine Bond
  • 1 Shadowy Backstreet
  • 1 Silent Clearing
  • 1 Smothering Tithe
  • 1 Snuff Out
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Soul Warden
  • 1 Soul's Attendant
  • 1 South Wind Avatar
  • 1 Starscape Cleric
  • 1 Stroke of Midnight
  • 1 Suture Priest
  • 8 Swamp
  • 1 Swiftfoot Boots
  • 1 Swords to Plowshares
  • 1 Tainted Field
  • 1 Talisman of Hierarchy
  • 1 The Wind Crystal
  • 1 Thought Vessel
  • 1 Toxic Deluge
  • 1 Vault of Champions
  • 1 Vault of the Archangel
  • 1 Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose
  • 1 Weathered Wayfarer
  • 1 Winds of Abandon
  • 1 Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow